A new year, a new post

So, I  missed blogging in the last four months of 2015 and now we're already two months into a brand new year.  Like many, I have found the start of 2016 pretty tough not just because of the lovely people we have lost in the celebrity world but also the lovely people we have lost closer to home.  Before half term we said goodbye to my father in law, one of the kindest and wisest men I have ever met and we are all much sadder without him.  So with 2016 being pretty grim so far, I thought this post would be about some highlights from the end of 2015

Cake and Bake Show
Ok, so not completely 'the end' of 2015 but at some point before Christmas (I can't remember exactly when), my Mum and I went to the Cake and Bake show at ExCel in London.  Knowing that we wouldn't be the earliest of risers, I bought the afternoon only tickets and used the money I saved on tickets for a class - in our case with Rosie Drummer aka Rosie Cake Diva.  Rosie has produced amazing fondant models including life sized versions of the Grenadier Guards at Buckingham Palace.  You can find out more about her here  We loved her class and although it wasn't hands on, she did go through loads of tips and ideas at top speed.  Key things I learned were the importance of decent quality tools (and the range of things you can do with them) and the use of Tylo powder to create a harder, easier to work with fondant paste. I took loads of notes but haven't yet used them but we have plenty of birthdays coming up in March, so perhaps I'll get a chance to model something for one of the cakes.

The other fantastic tip I picked up was when we went to see Brendan Lynch aka Brendan Bakes previous finalist from GBBO.  He was doing a demonstration of a delicious looking cake (I can't remember what it was now but I know I would have liked a slice!)  I noticed that when he was folding the flour into the cake, he used a whisk to scoop up the flour and tapped it on the side of the bowl - essentially not mixing at all but clearly combining the ingredients without knocking the air out.  I have since seen James Martin use his hand in a similar way to fold in flour on Home Comforts.  As someone who has never been able to fold well, this technique has really changed my baking - it combines easily and keeps the mixture light.  Brendan also revealed some Bake Off secrets, including how his scones impressed Mary Berry when he went for his audition (the trick is to sieve the flour five times and make sure none of the egg wash falls down the side of the scone and restricts its rise!)

Overall the day was great fun and we picked up some good tips and some good bargains.  It seemed a little smaller than previous years and we were disappointed not to see Baker's Toolkit as we wanted to buy some of their cupcake boxes.  However, as we had an afternoon ticket, we found there was plenty to keep us occupied and we felt we got value for money.

I started volunteering at Guides...
Yes, I'm back in Uniform!  Before, during and just after University I volunteered at Brownies and Guides.  I also had my first Saturday job at the Guide and Scout shop in Palmers Green, so I guess Guiding is my blood.  With a daughter who is Brownie age and a new Guide unit opening in the area, I thought now might be a good time to get back involved and a good way to meet other people in the local area.  I recently went to a new leaders training event at Hautbois (pronounced Hobbis apparently), which was a huge amount of fun and a good chance to meet other guiders from the region.  Today is World Thinking Day, which our district celebrated on Saturday with an afternoon of activities for Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Senior Section.  It is fantastic to be part of something that gives so much to young girls and I would really recommend it to anyone thinking about volunteering.

Happy World Thinking Day to all those involved with Guiding and Scouting across the globe x